Car-coupling



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2 Sheets-Sheet '1,

C. BQHAYNBS. UAR GOUPLING vPatented Mar. 17, 1891.

(No Model.)

(No Model.)

C. EL HAYNES.

GAR GOUPLING.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 448,427. Patented Mar. 17, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES EDVIN HAYNES, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent N o. 448,427, dated March 1'7, 1891. Application filed November 4, 1890. Serial No. 370,271. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that LCHARLES EDWIN HAYNEs, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Minneapolis,county of Hennepin, and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that'class of car-couplers of which the Hinson is a type, and in which a pair of horizontal pivoted interlocking jaws are employed for effecting the coupling. In couplers of this class prior to this invention it has been customary to pivot the swinging coupling-jaw upon a pin passing through the draw-head, and to cause the automatic opening of the coupler by providing double inclines upon the pivoted jaw and the draw-head, respectively,which devices have not proven entirely satisfactory because of the friction and wear of such devices, which tend to prevent the free swinging open of the pivoted jaw, and especially is this true in wintry or dusty weather.

The object of this invention is to reduce the number of parts to the minimum, and hence promote the simplicity of the device, and at the same time reduce the friction between the moving parts to the minimum without lessening, but on the contrary promoting, the strength and durability of the coupler as a whole. This object is attained by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a plan view of a pair of couplers in position for coupling; Fig. 2, a central horizontal section through the same, showing them coupled; Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4, a side elevation of one of the couplers, showing the jaw closed; Fig. 5, a similar View showing the jaw open; Fig. 6, a detail plan view of one of the jaws; Fig. 7, a detail plan view of the bearing or socket for the jaw-trunnion; Fig. 8, a sectional elevation showing the relationof the jaw and its trunnion to the bearing; Fig. 9, a horizontal section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8, more particularly showing the position of the trunnion in its bearing when the jaw is closed; and Fig. 10, a similar view showing the same when the jaw is open.

Similar letters of referenceindicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

As the couplers on adjacent cars are exact duplicates of each other, in describing them in detail I will refer to only one coupler.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the draw-head, which may be of any suitable construction, as well as the jaw B, although for convenience of illustration I have shown in the drawings the Hinson couplers, in which the jaw, of L shape, is pivoted at the elbow within the d rawhead upon trunnion C on the upper and lower sides thereof, and when engaged by the opposing coupler, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is caught and locked atits inner end by a springactuated pin D. The trunnions, instead of being round, are oblong in cross-section, and work in suitable bearing-sockets E in the draw-head, to which they gain access through obliquely-arranged slots or channels F at one side of the head of substantially the same diameter as the widthvof the trunnion, but less than the length thereof, so that the trunnion cannot become disengaged from the bearing without being forcibly turned to register lengthwise with the slot.

So much of this coupler as has been described is substantially identical with the Hinson coupler, except a difference in the direction of .length of the trunnions in crosssection and the location of the channels or slots leading into the trunnion-bearing, and with such a construction the jaws would remain in any position to which they are moved, either mechanically or manually, whether partly or entirely opened or closed; but it is the purpose of this invention to have the jaws automatically open immediately they are disengaged from each other or from their locking devices, so as to normally assume the open position necessary for coupling. To this end at the opposite sides of the lower trunnionbearing is located a pair of oppositely-inclined bearing-pieces G, upon which the lower trunnion rests, the edges thereof being rounded, so as to ride the inclinesU with less friction and wear. In opening and closing the jaw the trunnion rides down and up these incline bearingsm'ithout, however, leaving the socket, and of course slightly elevating and lowering the j aw in the operation, the bearings IOO being so arranged radially within the socket that when the jaw is closed, as illustrated in Figs. 4f, S, and 9, the trunnon still rests upon the bearings, but near the top of the incline, so that immediately the jaw is released the `gravity thereof will cause the trunnion to ride down the inclines, and by such action to turn and open the j aWs,'as illustrated in Fig. 10; but in the coupling operation the trunnion will be again caused to ride up the incline bearings by the turning of the jaw into position for locking-that is, inclosing it-thus leaving the trunnions in such position upon its bearings that the jaw will be compelled to automatically assu me an open position ready for coupling as soon as released by the opposing jaw or the locking device. Obviously the end of the trunnion, aswell as the bearing thereof in the socket may have many other contours than that described and illustrated; but all such are Within the scope of my invention so long as they cause the automatic opening of the jaw.

A coupler embodying my invention is simple, economical, and effectual, may be applied to any coupler employing a horizontal pivoted jaw, and, in fact, may be added to couplers now in use at very small expense, besides which it possesses the important ad vantage of causing the coupler, When not in use, to automatically assume and maintain a position in readiness for coupling Without having to be manipulated either by hand or mechanically, as has heretofore been necessary.

It Will of course be understood that this invention is likewise applicable to couplers in which the jaw is pivoted or swings upon the pin instead of upon trunnions, the end 0f the pin Working in a bearing-socket in the drawhead in the same manner as the trunnion now operates, the changes necessary to adopt a coupler so constructed for operating upon this principle being obvious to any one skilled in the art to which my invention pertains.

Having described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent,

l. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the draw-head provided with bearing-sockets, of a coupling-jaw, trunnions thereon working in said sockets,and inclined end bearings for the trunnion in the lower socket, substantially 1 as described.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the draw-head provided With bearing-sockets, the lower one of which has oppositely-inclined bearings at the sides thereof, of a couplingjaW, oblong trunnions thereon Workin gin said sockets, the lower one of which rides said inclined bearings and is so arranged as to rest near the top of the inclines when the jaw is closed, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination, with a draw-head provided with bearing-sockets, the lower end of which has oppositely-inclined bearings therein, of a coupling-jaw, oblong trunnions thereon Working in said sockets, the lower one of which rides said inclined bearings and 'is so arranged as to rest near the top of the inclines when the jaw is closed, and obliquely-arranged slots or channels at one side of the draw-head leading into the bearing sockets thereof, said slots being of substantially the same diameter as the width of said trunnions, but less than the length thereof, substantially as described.v

CHARLES 4EDWIN I-IAYNES.

Witnesses:

HENRY S. HARRIS, J. F. BEGERT. 

